WWW.LINCOLNSHIRETODAY.NET/WEDDINGS The essential guide for the Bride and Groom to be The essential guide for the Bride and Groom to belacebymanor.co.uk/spa Complimentary couples spa day with selected wedding packagesCongratulations After the excitement of the proposal, planning the wedding can often prove to be overwhelming and that’s why it’s best to take a step back and think things through – and to seek advice from those who may have done it before. Our aim with this handy guide isn’t to tell you what you must or must not do, because everyone’s wedding is personal and that’s the way we’d rather keep things. They’re your important memories, not ours. In these pages, however, we’ll look at important things to keep in mind and offer our advice here and there without dictating. Take it as a bullet-point list if you will or read on and consider some of the points raised, but remember to take it in your own direction. No matter what you decide to do on your big day, in Lincolnshire the myriad of beautiful venues and dedicated wedding specialists means it’s certain to be a fabulous occasion. Best wishes, Michael Fisher, Editor and all the Lincolnshire Today team Group Editor: Steve Fisher Editor: Michael Fisher Journalists: Tess Egginton Sales Director: Angie Cooper Sales: Kerry Randerson, Jordan Mason Accounts & Circulation: Angela Sharman, John Downes Design & Production: Gary Jorgensen, Mark Casson Advertising: Tel: (01472) 310302 Fax: (01472) 310312 Editorial: Tel: (01472) 310305 Fax: (01472) 310317 Part Of The Business Link Magazine Group: Armstrong House, Armstrong Street, Grimsby, N E Lincs DN31 2QE Email: weddingguide@blmgroup.co.uk Website: www.lincolnshiretoday.net/weddings ISSN No: 1366-1299 © All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, photocopied, recorded or otherwise without express permission of the copyright holder, for which application should be addressed first to the publisher. While every reasonable care is taken, neither the publisher nor its participating agents accept liability for loss or damage to prints, colour transparencies, negatives or other material of whatever nature submitted to this publication. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily the views of those held by the publisher. WelcomeContents Wedding planners6 A good wedding planner is there to assist and reduce stress, not to take over. Stag and Hen parties8 It used to be that stag and hen dos were meant to let people enjoy a light night of freedom, but times have changed and most couples have been committed long before the wedding. Venues10 Finding the perfect venue for your wedding can be tough, particularly with so many stunning stately homes and buildings to choose from. Finishing touches22 Small things make for excellent finishing touches, so make sure to engage your creative side and make the wedding really yours. Entertainment24 While everyone will be at your wedding with the purpose of celebrating your special day, providing something to keep them entertained after the formalities are over will be welcomed. Bridal fashion 26 Picking the right dress is a monumental decision and it’s hard to match the perfect image you might have in your head. Make sure to shop around but also to speak to specialists, because they might be able to help more than you know. Menswear32 The bride may be the centre of attention but it’s important the man be dressed up as well, otherwise he risks ruining everything. Occasionwear36 Every guest wants to look good but also fit in and stand out but not overshadow the main couple. It’s a fine line to walk and you don’t want to be on the wrong side of it. Jewellery40 A wedding ring will hopefully be for life, so it’s essential to take care in selecting yours. Hair and beauty43 A wedding may be one of the few times in life where a professional is brought in to do your hair and makeup. But while it may be tempting to go 2024Cover photo courtesy of stock.adobe.com/meetali overboard because of this, a more natural look will be easier to pull off and maintain over a long day and night. • Blyton Dental Flowers48 With a wide variety of flowers to choose from for your wedding, it can be difficult to know where to begin. Photography / videography50 You get one chance to take perfect wedding photos so make sure there’s a professional on hand to do it. Your family with iPhones simply won’t compare. Cakes52 The wedding cake is its own piece of art. With the right specialist you can make yours as traditional or unique as you like. Stationery54 Stationery, from your invitations to menus, can be more important than you think for giving a good impression of your wedding. Transport 56 There are many ways to arrive on one’s wedding day, from the traditional to the adventurous and unique, and this will set the tone for the wedding. Honeymoons58 The wedding may be a big day but it’s also tiring, which is why it’s important to have a honeymoon after the big day. • Travel Chaps Legalities62 Is there anything as romantic as sitting down with a lawyer to discuss terms? Uh. Yes, actually, there is – but it’s still an important part of getting married, even if it’s not much fun! Showcase65 If there’s one thing Lincolnshire isn’t short of its dedicated wedding specialists.Lincolnshire Today Wedding Guide WEDDING PLANNERS 6 A good wedding planner is there to assist and reduce stress, not to take over. A lot of women grow up dreaming of their perfect wedding. However, what most people dream of is the dress and the mood, and maybe a few colours and scenes. They haven’t dreamed of the organisation and the guest list, or the accommodation or the food, or how children will be kept entertained. Those are all troublesome things that need to be considered, but which aren’t all that fun. Wedding planners help take the hard work out of things by taking on the difficult jobs for you, and they can be as hands-off or as hands-on as you want them to be. Wedding planners can take the reins of the event and help prepare everything to a given style, or they can take on just the less fun task and work in an advisory role to someone wanting to control their own wedding. It’s all a matter of communicating to them what tasks you want them to take on, and what tasks you don’t. Where wedding planners can be especially valuable is in adjusting an event to new trends and taking a wedding in a different route to traditional ones. A lot of people nowadays are embracing more modern weddings free from a lot of the trappings and ceremonies of traditional marriage. This might mean hosting a wedding with an unusual twist - from as wild as Star Wars to more reasonable Japanese, Indian, or other cultural styles. They can also help to point out areas the bride and groom might not have thought of, and offer workable solutions based on their vast experience. That’s one of the biggest draws of wedding planners in all honesty. Most people only have the few wedding Planning it all out Planning it all out www.lincolnshiretoday.net WEDDING PLANNERS 7 © stock.adobe.com/Valerii Honcharuk arrangements in their life – one if they’re lucky, or two or three if they took time to find the right person. Planners have seen it all, though, and they’ve experienced all the myriad ways the wedding can go wrong, and all the little problems that can happen that would send most people into fits of absolute panic. Good wedding planners thrive in these situations and are not only able to adapt and fix problems as they occur but will likely have an extensive list of contacts within the wedding industry that they can call on, which could net you better deals, faster response times, and find a stand-in if your hired band or transport company can’t deliver as they promised. It is possible to run a wedding without a wedding planner, but it might not be possible to save one if something goes wrong, and having a planner on hand can help minimise that risk and take the stress out of the whole affair.Lincolnshire Today Wedding Guide STAG AND HEN PARTIES 8 Party, party, party It used to be that stag and hen dos were meant to let people enjoy a light night of freedom, but times have changed and most couples have been committed long before the wedding. N owadays, marriage happens after a long time dating and being together with someone, so neither party has considered themselves “free” or “open” for a long time. That means stag and hen dos are often now more about spending time with friends, having fun, and making some new memories. Back in older days where people could afford to get married after only dating for a while (and when that was encouraged) it was expected to see events of a more carnal nature. They really are out of fashion today. Holiday stag and hen dos are very common now instead. Men and women alike enjoy taking their mates out for an adventure or holiday, be it to relax or see some interesting sights. Sort of all-men or all-women holidays with the pals. That said, the classical night out with the boys or girls is still very common, and often goes in addition to other plans. Lincolnshire has a wide range of clubs to go out at, and a bustling nightlife to enjoy. Some people don’t see that as such a big deal, however. Friends go out drinking without weddings nowadays, so another night out doesn’t feel very special. In those cases, people sometimes like to embrace “experiences” for their events, be it action-packed gliding, airsoft or paintball, or more relaxing spa trips, massages, and treatments. This reflects how people have grown societally, because what might have been seen as “wild” fifty years ago really isn’t now, and no one is www.lincolnshiretoday.net 9 going to bat an eye at a bunch of girls on a night out in Lincoln. More freedom to be ourselves means there’s ironically less “shocking” things to do on a stag or hen, which is why many of these experience days are growing in popularity. It also helps that the crazier ones can make for some very instragrammable pictures, and can even be included in the wedding photography! Photos of the groom wiping out water skiing, or the bride posing with friends in a beautiful vista can make for excellent shots and help show the personality of the couple more than a few drinks ever will. Though, of course, there’s no reason why an exciting day can’t be topped off with a drink at a club, bar, or beloved local pub. It’s a great way to wind down after a crazy day, share a few drinks, and reflect on how much you’ve all grown. © stock.adobe.com/Luna Vandoorne © stock.adobe.com/golubovyNext >